Talpidae

Taxobox
name = TalpidaeMSW3 Hutterer | pages = 300-311]
fossil_range = Late Eocene to Recent

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image_width = 240px
image_caption = European Mole
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Soricomorpha
familia = Talpidae
familia_authority = G. Fischer, 1814
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = 17 genera, see text

The family Talpidae includes the moles and the desmans, small insectivorous mammals of the order Soricomorpha. Moles are, to varying degrees, subterranean animals, whilst desmans are aquatic. Talpids are found across the northern hemisphere, in Asia, Europe, and North America.

The first talpids evolved from shrew-like animals in the late Eocene of Europe. The most primitive living talpids are believed to be the shrew-moles, with other species having evolved further towards either a subterranean or an aquatic lifestylecite book |author= Savage, RJG, & Long, MR|year=1986 |title= Mammal Evolution: an illustrated guide|publisher= Facts on File|location=New York|pages= 53|isbn= 0-8160-1194-X] .

Characteristics

Talpids are small, dark-furred animals with cylindrical bodies and hairless, tubular, snouts. They range in size from the tiny shrew-moles, as small as 2.4 cm in length, and weighing under 12 grams, to the Russian Desman, with a body length of 18-22 cm, and a weight of about 550 grams. The fur varies between species; desmans have a waterproof undercoat and oily guard hairs, while the subterranean moles have short, velvety fur lacking any guard hairs. The forelimbs of moles are highly adapted for digging, with powerful claws, and the hands turned permanently outwards to aid in shovelling dirt away from the front of the body. By contrast, desmans have webbed paws with a fringe of stiff fur to aid in swimming. Moles generally have short tails, but those of desmans are elongated and flattenedcite book |editor=Macdonald, D.|author= Gorman, Martyn|year=1984 |title= The Encyclopedia of Mammals|publisher= Facts on File|location=New York|pages= 766-769|isbn= 0-87196-871-1] .

All species have small eyes and poor eyesight, but only a few are truly blind. Talpids rely primarily on their sense of touch, and have vibrissae on their faces, legs, and tails. The flexible snout is particularly sensitive. Desmans are able to close both their nostrils and ears while diving. Unusually, the penis of talpids points backwards, and they have no scrotum.

Talpids are generally insectivorous. Moles eat earthworms, insect larvae, and occasionally slugs, while desmans eat aquatic invertebrates such as shrimps, insect larvae, and snails. Talpids have relatively unspecialized teeth, with the dental formula: dentition2|2-3.1.3-4.3|1-3.0-1.3-4.3

Habits

Desmans are primarily nocturnal, but moles are active day and night, although usually travelling above ground only under cover of darkness. Most moles dig permanent burrows, and subsist largely on prey that fall into them, but the shrew-moles, while still digging tunnels, forage for food on the forest floor. Desmans also dig burrows for shelter, foraging in rivers and lakes.

Talpids appear to be generally solitary animals, and only a few species, such as the Star-nosed Mole, build burrows shared by more than one individual. They are territorial animals, and will defend their home range against intruders.

Classification

The family is divided into 3 subfamilies, 7 tribes, and 17 genera:
* Subfamily Scalopinae
** Tribe Condylurini
*** Genus "Condylura": Star-nosed Mole
** Tribe Scalopini
*** Genus "Parascalops": Hairy-tailed Mole
*** Genus "Scalopus": Eastern Mole
*** Genus "Scapanulus": Gansu Mole
*** Genus "Scapanus"
* Subfamily Talpinae
** Tribe Desmanini: Desmans
*** Genus "Desmana": Russian Desman
*** Genus "Galemys": Pyrenean Desman
** Tribe Neurotrichini
*** Genus "Neurotrichus": American Shrew-mole
** Tribe Scaptonychini
*** Genus "Scaptonyx": Long-tailed Mole
** Tribe Talpini
*** Genus "Euroscaptor"
*** Genus "Mogera"
*** Genus "Parascaptor": White-tailed Mole
*** Genus "Scaptochirus": Short-faced Mole
*** Genus "Talpa"
** Tribe Urotrichini: Japanese Shrew-moles
*** Genus "Dymecodon"
*** Genus "Urotrichus"
* Subfamily Uropsilinae: Shrew-like Moles
** Genus "Uropsilus"

References